About: Trade unions in Egypt

Trade unions in Egypt first emerged at the start of the 20th century, although organised collective action in the form of strikes undertaken by workers was recorded as early as 1882. Following Egypt's formal independence in the mid-1950s trade unions were incorporated into state structures and only one officially recognised national centre existed. Starting in the 1970s and intensifying dramatically during the first decade of the 21st century, an independent, organised (but unofficial) labour movement took root in the country. This movement ultimately played a significant role in the Egyptian revolution of 2011 and the subsequent growth of independent trade unions and trade union pluralism. However, with the 2013 Egyptian coup d'état and changes in laws governing trade unions, the situatio